A/N: Hey guys! Here is the next chapter. We come to the end of 'Future' Callie and Elijah's time with us, but goodbye isn't until next week. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Disney, ABC or the Avengers.
Later that day, I had managed to get through my first day back at the UN. T'Challa and Joey got me through the day, easing my anxiety about Zemo, as my search wasn't hitting anything. As I put the casserole in the oven for dinner, I sighed and stared longingly out the window. My conversation with my kids was gonna be more one sided, if they didn't get home when they said they would.
A buzzing from my phone made me snap out of my train of thought.
"Hello?" I asked, after realizing it was Bucky's Caller ID.
"MOMMA!" I heard my twins yell loudly.
"Well hello my darlings! How are you being for your Daddies? Good, I hope."
"We are Momma. We miss you already."
"I know pumpkin. I miss you both so much. Just remember, only another month and we can be together for good. I promise."
"That's what Dad said this morning to Daddy because he was upset."
"Upset how?"
"He was crying," Callie said softly, and I had to sniff back the tears that came to my eyes.
"You both know that I love you very much, and I love your Daddies with all my heart, just like they love me. It's normal for people who love each other to be sad when they are apart. No teasing Daddy, okay? You should just give him very big hugs and tell him how much you love him."
"We weren't going to tease him, Momma. Dad told us that you are doing stuff that is keeping us safe."
"I am, and it is keeping you safe. You will understand soon why, because… well, as you may know, you guys are growing quite fast. And you'll be physically old enough soon to train with SHIELD, and under Aunt Daisy when you go through Terrigenesis."
"Momma, what is Terregesis?" My inquisitive Callie asked.
"You know when Momma discovered her powers? That I had wings?" They responded in the affirmative.
"Well, you guys might have powers too. But we won't know until we run a blood test on you. Aunt Jemma will do it for you. The process isn't painful, but it is a bit scary. Auntie Daisy can explain it to you. Tell her I said it was okay."
"Daddy wants to talk to you," Elijah said.
"Okay, put him on," I smiled.
"Sera?" Bucky's rough voice asked, sounding thick with emotion.
"I miss you too," I smiled sadly.
"I don't know if I can do this," He whispered.
"Yes you can. We've made it this far, and if you think you can't take another month, how about two weeks?"
"We'd come for a visit in a heartbeat," He exhaled, as if in relief.
"No. I mean, I'd be home for good in two weeks, but don't tell the kids. The President and I decided that Mace can take over my duties, but I'll still be consulting with T'Chaka and dealing with the building of the satellite."
"But Steve said a month is what you said this morning…"
"I may have asked to leave early. A family leave of sorts."
"You're coming home?" He breathed softly.
"I'm coming home to you," I giggled.
"Steve is gonna be just as thrilled as I am right now. Doll, thank you. It's been unbearable without you here, and Steve agrees."
"Well, I still need to use my little 'birth' day anniversary present, and wrap up a few loose ends. But right after that, I'll be on my way to you."
"So, do you need help packing the apartment then? Steve and I can bring the kids out and help."
"No, I should be okay. I have muscle for hire with T'Challa's security team. If I need you to, I will let you know. Okay?"
"Fair deal. I love you so much aнгел," He said, as I heard the kids giggling in the background.
"Now, what's really going on?" I asked in Russian. He seemed to understand that I was allowing him privacy from the kids prying ears.
"Not that I don't love Steve, I do, but I missed you so much these last few months."
"You got used to having a women between the two of you, that now it doesn't feel right without one," I concluded.
"You are way to intuitive."
"Nope. I just know the two of you and what you've both confided in me. It's a shame that you can't be this open with each other, but with your wife that is away on business."
"Ангел, I do confide in Steve, but it's been hard on the two of us, and our relationship. He can be a bit of a meathead," Bucky sighed.
"And you can also be just as stubborn. Have you been together, just the two of you lately?"
He paused, and I took that as my answer.
"You are both suffering from a lack of intimacy, and filling that void with me isn't healthy for any parties involved. I suggest that during these two weeks, you make an effort, and I will tell Steve to do that same. Try to shove the kids on Wanda or Nat and spend some quality time together. No strategizing, no going over teaching plans for homeschooling, no other teammates," I said sternly. If you didn't lay down laws, they would do what they wanted to.
"I feel like I'm turning into a woman. I don't ever remember it being like this when we were teenagers."
"Being around women does tend to bring out either an increase in testosterone or estrogen in males. It's perfectly normal."
"Fine," He sighed, "I'll do it."
"Good, now put Steve on."
"He's out running. Said he needed to clear his head."
"Buck, he's been having nightmares again."
"The war?" He asked quietly.
"The one to come," I said, as I heard Elijah's yell in the background, "Dad, what's this word sound like?"
"Au Revoir," Bucky said before switching back to English, "It means goodbye."
"Au Revoir," Elijah echoed.
"Why are you speaking Russian Daddy?" Callie asked and I giggled.
"Just talking grown up things with your Momma, that's why sweetie."
Just as I was about to ask to talk to the kids again, the front door opened and I rushed out to the patio, in case the 'future' twins decided to call out to me.
"Bucky, sweetheart, I think you should get back to the kids, and tell Steve to call me as soon as he gets back in. You both need to sit down and talk to each other. I will not be a buffer anymore, got that?"
"Yes ma'am," He said, letting me hear the smile in his voice.
"Bucky, I love you so much," I choked, feeling my own tears sting my eyes.
"I love you more Sera. Here, I'll let the kids say goodbye."
"Bye Momma!" The kids said, nearly in unison.
"Goodnight my darlings. I love you so much," I said, as my tears fell.
"Goodnight aнгел," Bucky said.
"Goodnight my love," I sighed, before hanging up. I heard the door open as I wiped my eyes.
"Mom?"
"I'll be there in a second," I said, smiling at Callie. Her face showed she wasn't convinced by my smile, but retreated back inside. Taking a deep breathe, I mentally made a list of things I needed to talk to the twins about.
One: I was leaving in two weeks, but they could stay and use the apartment until they felt like they needed to return to their time.
Two: They really needed to tell me where they went, because as far as loose ends and missions, there was nothing they had to take care of in this time.
"So, who wants to fess up first?" I asked, smiling as I entered the kitchen. Elijah stopped short of reaching for a beer and said, "I hadn't taken one yet!"
"Not what I'm talking about. What mission was so secret that you couldn't let me know you were okay?"
Callie looked at Elijah and they seemed to come to an agreement quickly on telling me, because she then blurted out, "We dealt with Zemo."
"You what?" I asked, my tone even but deadly. They both looked down and said, "We tracked him down in Russia. He was looking for the book."
"The book? Of course he thinks that he could turn your father. He doesn't know that I de-programmed the trigger words."
Callie went on to explain how they needed to do this for me, because they couldn't leave me while he was still out there. She had him admit to his intentions, and subsequently had the Russian government arrest him on behalf of the UN. He was to spend the rest of his days in the Gulag.
"While I am happy he's away, I'm very disappointed in you two. You reminded me about Zemo, only to go after a dangerous man, by yourselves, and without even telling me where you were going. Do you realize what could have happened? If you had gotten yourselves killed, that would be it. No do-over, no time jump to reverse it. Dead. And I would have never known. Do you know how terrifying that is to me?"
"We just thought-"
"No, you don't get to think. You get to listen. I am pregnant, which means all my emotions are heightened, including my maternal instincts that are screaming at me to lock you two up until you leave for your own time. You don't get to pull this kind of shit with me in the future, do you?"
"No ma'am," They said softly.
"Then what possessed you to jump in head first, without back up? Without a way for me to know you were gonna be okay, or the option to get help to you if you weren't? You will both understand when you have kids, that the love I feel for you…. It doesn't matter that you have your younger selves in this time. It doesn't matter that you come from a future where I have died, as did your fathers. What matters is the overwhelming pain and suffering you would have put me through. It would have broken me, here and now. Do you understand that?" I said, crying freely as I continued to lecture to them.
"Yes ma'am."
"Now before I change my mind, you will go over every detail of this mission. Debrief, now."
I pulled the casserole out as the kids explained their mission. The book had been taken and tucked away months ago, but Zemo didn't know that. It was the perfect trap. I dished out their dinners and gestured for them to eat as I remained quiet. Neither of them made a peep during dinner, or as I took their plates away afterwards.
"Who do you report to? Phil or myself?"
"You, we report to you," Elijah said, setting his jaw.
"And what have I taught you about field work?"
"Everything you know. Interrogation tactics, stealth, blending in to our surroundings, and protocol."
"So, next time you go out in the field, whether it be back in your own time or not, what are you going to remember of this?"
"That we shouldn't have tried to do it alone. We should have run it by you, and even when you turned it down, we would obey orders," Callie spoke, clearly realizing the gravity of their actions.
"Correct," I said, sliding a tub of ice cream across the table to them, taking out three spoons.
"We are sorry Mom. We didn't want to worry you, and we thought it was better to deal with him, than leave him as a liability for you to deal with. We stopped whatever he was planning, well before it ever happened this way," Elijah explained.
"I get why you did it. I'm just disappointed in how you handled it. No more secrets. Deal?"
"Deal."
"On that note, we wanted to give you warning," Callie started, giving me a sad look.
"Now that the threats against the future are dealt with, and we know the war starts in space this time…" Elijah started but I cut him off.
"You're going home," I said softly, giving a sad smile to my twins. I at least raised them right. Not to be selfish, but to put others first.
"We are. Tomorrow afternoon," They said, as I sniffed back a few tears.
"Okay, so we use our time wisely tonight. No more punishment. How about a movie?"
"Sounds great," Elijah smiled, getting up and hugging my shoulders. I sighed, "You have your Dad's hugs."
"Well, now at least I can tell your fathers to come help me pack. I'm leaving in two weeks anyways."
"Early out?" Callie asked confused.
"Mace is taking over for me on some things, but I will still be in the loop about ARSENAL's Defense Net. But the main thing is, we will be together again. I know your father's desperately need it."
After that we set aside talk of anyone leaving, choosing to sit in front of the TV and binge eat ice cream while we watched old movies. I was so content that I hardly realized Steve didn't call me back.
